Meant to Be
by justforpractice
Summary: Lucius and Narcissa's best friends ask them to plan their wedding reception with the hope that the two will get back together. (co-writing this with theslytherinrose)
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This story was written for one of my besties **theslytherinrose.** (she's an incredibly talented writer and all about Lucissa! Go read her stuff!) She and I do a lot of writing together and have worked on this very devastating and dramatic plot and I wanted to see if it could be turned into a fic. The characters: Lenore Brown, Seraphina Malfoy, and Lara Malfoy are from her Lucissa canon and she's let me use them to tell this story. :D Anyway, I'd really appreciate any feedback and encouragement from you guys! Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster, but don't worry it will get better! Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

Prologue:

Narcissa had awoken earlier that morning to horrible stomach pains, and from there, everything had grown increasingly worse. She'd decided to make the trip to St. Mungo's to see why she was experiencing such pain—she'd had a strong feeling it had something to do with her pregnancy. She hadn't told Lucius about the baby; she'd been too scared to do so. They weren't married, yet, and he had so much going for him. News of a baby could ruin everything he'd worked so hard for, and she didn't want to ruin anything for him. However, as she'd lain on scratchy sheets on the very uncomfortable bed in the cold hospital room with two Healers waving their wands over her and mumbling very quietly under their breath, looking completely worried, she'd wished she'd told him—she'd wished he could have been there with her, because she knew he would've been, if given the choice.

Now, as she slowly made her way back toward the fireplaces that would take her back to her home with the news that she'd lost her—their—child, she felt devastated and furious with herself for not using the brains she'd been blessed with and telling the father of her child—the love of her life—that they had been expecting.

What had she been thinking?

 _You were trying to spare him the pain_ , she reminded herself, _but now he's going to be in even more pain._

Narcissa shook her head and quickly wiped the tears she hadn't managed to hold back before anyone could see her emotions. It's improper for a proper woman like yourself to cry over such silly things, was what her mother would've said if she were here. Lucius deserves much better than a girl who can't carry to term. Now you can spare him the pain of marrying a defect, Druella would also add. And I had such high hopes for you. You were supposed to be the good one.

Narcissa gritted her teeth tightly as she stepped into the fireplace with a purpose, twirling around on her heels to face the front, causing her long, dark blue dress to twirl along with her. Narcissa was mentally giving Druella a piece of her mind at the moment. She threw the Floo powder into the pit. "Black Home," she stated firmly, and she let out a very quiet sigh when the emerald-green flames appeared and swooped her up in them and away, returning her to her parents' home.

Thankfully, when she arrived, no one seemed to be present in the drawing room, allowing her to sneak to her room without any inquiries from her mother and father on where she had been. She was in absolute agony, not only mentally, but physically. And even though the Healers had done a pretty fine job healing her, she still found herself in quite a bit of pain. They had warned her that she might be sore for a while.

 _You deserve it_ , she told herself. _That's the least you can endure, after everything you've managed to ruin._

The moment she arrived in her room, she made her way over to the bed, curling up on top of her duvet and pulling her pillow close to her, burying her face deep within it.

She produced her wand and waved it around the room, inwardly chanting the ' _Muffliato'_ spell so that no one could hear her loud cries. She replaced her wand and let out all of her emotion into her pillow, not holding anything back.

How could she have been so careless? What had she been thinking allowing herself to make love to him without thinking of the possible consequences, and how could she have not told him she was pregnant? What was he to say if she told him, now? Would he hate her?

 _You can't tell him_ , she told herself. _It wouldn't be fair—he didn't even know you were with child. You've ruined everything. Absolutely everything._

After a while, she'd managed to fall asleep, only to face horrible dreams about their child and life without Lucius.

Several hours passed, and when she finally managed to get out of bed, she made her way over to the antique desk that sat by her window. She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write a letter, sending an owl to the man she loved as soon as it was signed and sealed.

* * *

When Lucius had received Narcissa's owl in she'd sent her goodbyes and her engagement ring, he'd not been able to take it seriously. Not until he'd tried every way possible to get in touch with her and talk with her about what was going on that made her feel that she was not worthy of him and that he needed to move on without her.

He knew how badly her parents treated her and had even written an awful letter to explain to them that no matter what they thought or told her, their daughter and he were meant to be together, and if they didn't agree they could shove it up—.

Needless to say, Lucius had been banned from going to their home, so trying to see Narcissa was pointless. They'd even blocked the Floo connection from the Manor to their home.

There was no way to get in touch with the love of his life—the woman he loved—and the idea of never being able to see her again and never knowing why she left him practically made him die inside.

He had lived at Malfoy Manor on his own since his father had died and Lucius had taken over as head of the Malfoy family and assumed his father's position in the Dark Lord's Trust—he'd been branded at the age of seventeen, just after he'd graduated from Hogwarts. His mother and sister, Seraphina and Lara, had gone to live in one of their many other mansions in England. However, when his mother had heard the news about Narcissa leaving, she'd begun dropping by more often, bringing Lara when she could. Lucius knew that she'd always loved Narcissa and thought of her as a daughter, because Seraphina knew how much her son loved Narcissa.

His mother had been making more visits now that he'd put all his energy into working his way up in the Trust—he was determined to either die or be on top. Now that Narcissa was gone, he didn't care about living, and if he had to remain alive, he would at least work toward proving himself to the Dark Lord in order to get the better and more violent missions.

He often came home with several injuries and spent many hours healing himself with the help of his house-elf Dobby or his mother, if she happened to be there, which she currently was.

Lucius sat on a chair in the toilet, his mother standing behind him, rubbing paste over a nasty gash in his back that ' _Episkey'_ hadn't been able to heal fully.

"Merlin's sake, Lucius, if your father was alive—"

"He's not, Mother," interrupted Lucius. "And even if he was, he'd be the one in need of medical attention, not me."

"Not necessarily," she answered flatly. "He wasn't reckless—stubborn, yes—but not reckless."

Lucius let out a long, heavy sigh, knowing his mother knew exactly why he was making the decisions that he had been over the past few months. "There's no point to my life unless she's in it. I physically hurt without her, Mother. I want to—" Lucius stopped himself from finishing the sentence that he knew would send a pain like a sharpened arrow through his mother's heart. He wouldn't do that to her.

Seraphina sighed and placed the cloth down on the counter. Lucius watched as she made her way in front of him and bent down to meet him at eye-level. She placed a hand against his cheek, their identical eyes locked on each other.

"My sweet boy," she began, "I know it's hard, but there is so much more to live for. I've wanted nothing more than for her to return to you, but she hasn't, my love, and what if she never does? Lucius, are you going to waste your life away while waiting to see?"

Lucius remained quiet, knowing what he wanted to say but also knowing that his mother would inform him that waiting on her would cause him more misery and pain.

What if that was what he wanted to feel?

"You don't have to come here and see me miserable, Mother," he said. "You can stop visiting."

"Never," she replied. "I may not agree with how you're choosing to handle your grief, but you're my son, and I'm not going to leave you in your biggest time of need."

Lucius nodded toward her. "I love you, Mum," he said.

"And I love you, sweetheart," she replied.

Lucius watched as she stood again, and then she made her way behind him and began healing the rest of his wound.

* * *

Augustus had waited a long time for the day the infamous couple—Lucius and Narcissa—split. He knew the likelihood of something like that actually happening had been one in a trillion, but the gods had obviously heard his prayers and answered.

Augustus Rookwood had always been attracted to Narcissa and had long ago convinced himself that that meant he had true feelings for her—just like Lucius did. The truth was, he'd always been jealous of Lucius, even when they'd been children. He'd always wanted everything Lucius had. Augustus had grown up in a very dysfunctional and unstable home and felt that he deserved more than what he'd been given. All throughout school, he'd pretended to be Lucius's friend, working hard to become everything Lucius was and more. Unfortunately for Augustus, his dream of being Lucius Malfoy had never happened.

Now, however, he had the opportunity to get his girl—the one he'd been pining after ever since Lucius had shared with him and their other friend Walden that he had feelings for Narcissa. Once the two had started dating, Augustus had worked hard to convince Narcissa that he was the better option, but in the end, she'd chosen _him_ —Lucius.

Augustus knew that taking Narcissa from him would bring trouble—and possibly harm—to himself, but he didn't care. He had to win; he had to get the girl. He had to be on top. And if he could take Lucius Malfoy's love, then he would have earned that title, in his twisted mind.

He'd been delicate about the situation; he'd made sure to wait a while before jumping in and making his move. He had to be delicate, if he wanted to win.

First, he'd waited until several months had passed—ten, to be exact—and then he'd contacted her mother, knowing that was the only way he'd be able to even see her. Narcissa would never agree to go out with him because she knew that he'd had feelings for her in school, but he knew Druella and knew that she wanted nothing more than her daughters to marry Pureblood men. Since Narcissa still hadn't done so and had recently broken a long-term engagement, he knew her mother would be desperate to get her married and out of the house. The Blacks already had enough to be ashamed of without adding Narcissa's recent embarrassment to the list.

Augustus had received the approval from Druella like he'd hoped and was now standing at the front door of the Black household, waiting for someone to answer the door. When the door opened, Pippy, the Blacks' house-elf, opened the door.

"I'm here for Narcissa," said Augustus.

"Right this way," answered the elf, opening the door more and closing it with a snap of his fingers when Augustus had entered.

After he'd met with her and her mother, he decided to take her to The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, where they could enjoy drinks together.

* * *

Narcissa's eyes opened wide with horror as she lay bare in a bed that wasn't Lucius's, in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar place that she didn't… Her thoughts were interrupted by an arm that wrapped around her and by unfamiliar lips that began kissing her cheek. However, when she heard the stranger say good morning, she felt the sudden urge to be ill, closing her eyes tightly and praying that this was an awful nightmare that she would soon wake up from.

Her heart pounded and her mind raced with all sorts of questions that she wasn't used to asking herself, most of them along the lines of _How did I get here?_

She gripped the sheets tightly as the arm gripped her tighter, and that need to be sick just continued to grow so much so that she sat up as best she could, causing him to sit up, as well.

"Are you all right?" asked Augustus, taking her chin with his fingers and turning it toward him, leaning closer to kiss her.

Narcissa pulled her lips away and stood from the mattress, grabbing the nearest throw and wrapping herself up in it.

"I'm—I believe I'm hungover, excuse me," she said as she rushed toward the bathroom, where she slammed the door and began to violently lose what little contents had filled her stomach.

"Narcissa?" came _his_ voice from the outside of the bathroom.

"Go away, please," she said weakly.

Thankfully, she didn't lose anything more from her insides. Unfortunately, she'd made a horrible decision the night before and had become so intoxicated that she'd agreed to things she would have never done if she'd been sober. All she'd kept thinking about the whole night was how she wished that she'd been with Lucius and not Augustus. The only thing that allowed her to stay was all the shots of Firewhiskey. Her mother had threatened her and she'd had no other choice but to oblige. And now she'd wished she'd taken her mother's abuse rather than… spending the night with Augustus Rookwood.

She would never forgive herself for betraying her heart—the one that only beat for Lucius, the one that longed for Lucius, and even though her pride wouldn't allow her to go back on her decision to protect him from her broken self and return to him, she'd promised herself that she would never be with another. He was all she wanted; he was who she needed, right now. How had she allowed herself to get here? And how was she ever going to get herself out?

"Please wake up," she said as she hugged her knees and softly cried. "Please let me wake up to him; let me wake up to Lucius."

* * *

Lenore stepped out of the fireplace and into the living room in the Macnair Home, which was now run by their son Walden, who was her fiancé. Walden stood from the couch and greeted her with a kiss that she happily returned.

"How'd it go?" he asked as he pulled away.

Lenore sighed, shaking her head. "She's not all right, Walden. He took her to The Three Broomsticks, and one thing lead to another, and…"

"Say no more," answered Walden. "Does Lucius know?"

Lenore shook her head vigorously. "No! And she doesn't want him to. She wants to forget it ever happened, but her mother has forced her to continue to see him and has been feeding her loads of bullocks about how he's the only one that she's good for. She hasn't told her mother what happened, of course, but knowing Druella, that would only fuel her desire to keep them together so that Narcissa can marry and get out as soon as possible… I'm worried for her, Walden. We must do something."

Walden kissed Lenore's forehead and held her close. Lenore didn't resist when he pulled her close, clinging tightly to his robes when he did. She was so worried for her best friend. Lenore and Narcissa had been best friends since before Hogwarts, and their time at school together had only grown their friendship. And with Walden and Lucius being best friends, as well, the quad had always spent a lot of time together and had been inseparable during their time at Hogwarts. Their friendship only grew as time went on. However, during this awful separation between two people who were meant to be together had put a strain on their group. Though they were still friends, it wasn't the same—at the end of the day, they were more than friends: they were family, and Lenore hoped to find a way to remind Lucius and Narcissa of not only their love for one another but of that, as well.

"I know," answered Walden.

He released his grip on her and began to pace back and forth. Lenore watched with a raised eyebrow as he did, wondering what he was planning and knowing it would be good—he always had the greatest ideas.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed.

Both of Lenore's eyebrows raised, her own excitement rising. Whatever Walden was about to inform her of, she knew that Lucius and Narcissa's separation would soon come to an end.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Here's chapter one! I hope you all enjoy and I'd love to hear some feedback. Thanks! (:

* * *

Chapter 1:

Lucius had received an owl from Walden informing him that Walden and Lenore had some news that they wanted to share with him. Walden had requested that Lucius meet him in Hogsmeade at The Three Broomsticks at three o'clock the next afternoon. Lucius wrote back his response, which stated that he would meet them there. The next day arrived, and after dressing himself in one of his favorite pairs of navy robes—whenever he went to town, he liked to look as sharp as possible—he made his way to Hogsmeade. He walked down the streets happily and made his way toward The Three Broomsticks. When he'd arrived almost to the door, he stopped.

There she was.

Narcissa—the love of his life; the woman who had his heart.

The one he hadn't seen in eleven months, three weeks, and four days.

Yes, he'd counted.

She was still as beautiful as ever.

His stomach felt like there were butterflies swarming inside it at the sight of her.

He noticed Augustus standing beside her, and he found himself frowning. Lucius had never understood why Narcissa had chosen to be with one of his former best mates, and he found himself very angry at the bloke for going after his girl.

Lucius's eyes widened slightly, his heart cracking in two as he watched Augustus lean in for a kiss and capturing the lips of his love. He wanted so badly to send a hex Augustus's way, but he refrained from doing so. If Narcissa was happy with Augustus, Lucius wouldn't try to take her from her happiness—even though there was nothing more he wanted than to be with her, he did truly want her to be happy.

If Augustus made her happy… then so be it.

The closer Lucius came to the two of them, the more he realized that Narcissa didn't look too thrilled to be kissing Augustus. It almost looked like she was reaching for her wand, which she'd always kept in the specific pocket her hand was moving toward.

Lucius shook his head. _You're imagining things_ , he told himself. _No matter how much you want her back, she doesn't love you anymore—she loves him._

"I didn't realize we were all meeting here," said Lucius, hoping that by alerting them to his presence, they'd pull apart and he would no longer have to watch the heartbreaking sight.

He watched as Narcissa's eyes widened and as she quickly pulled herself away from Augustus's grasp and turned to face him.

"Neither did I," Narcissa breathed.

Lucius could tell she hadn't expected to see him there, either. His heart practically cracked in two as his eyes landed on hers—those beautiful bright-blue eyes that he'd so often found himself lost in.

"How're you?" she asked.

"I'm all right," he said to her. "I hope you're well. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go on inside."

Narcissa nodded toward him, and he returned the gesture—he didn't even bother looking to Augustus.

* * *

Narcissa tried to smile at Lucius as he made his way toward the door. How could he still be cordial to her? She certainly didn't deserve it. When he'd gone into the pub, she prepared to follow, and then she tensed as Augustus pulled her close and kissed her again.

"Cissy, why don't you bail on this meeting and join me at home?" he asked, pulling her pelvis into his thigh with the grip he had on her. "We could have so much more fun."

Anger flooded through her as she felt him against her, and it took everything within her not to pull out her wand. She rested her hands on his chest and gave him a push, stepping backward.

"Because I promised Lenore I'd be here. And how about waiting to touch me until I say so?" _If that day comes again_ , she thought bitterly. She knew if her mother had her way she'd have to give in to this eventually, and the thought was sickening.

Narcissa watched as Augustus's face filled with anger when she pushed him away. He stepped forward and grabbed her waist, gripping her more firmly this time and leaning close to her ear. Her posture went rigid.

"You may think that you have a say in all this, but you don't. You lost all right to have a say the moment you left Lucius. Wouldn't want me telling your mother that you've been a bad girl, now would you? She'll have us marry within the week. And I know you don't want that," said Augustus as his hold on her tightened even more.

At his strong grip and the words he spoke, she found herself immeasurably grateful that she hadn't yet told him of the life growing within her. He would certainly use the baby to trap her, and she was still determined to find a way out of this situation.

He began to trail several kisses up her neck, causing her to cringe. She said nothing, and she fought the urge to pull away from his grasp and from his kisses. If she did, she wasn't entirely certain that he wouldn't harm her worse than an unnecessarily firm grip on her waist.

"I'll see you at home, my love," he said with a grin, producing his wand and Apparating away.

When he'd gone, she paused for a moment to drop her face into her hands and take a series of deep breaths. _Calm down_ , she ordered herself.

* * *

When Lucius entered the pub, he found his friends and made his way over. To his surprise, his mother and sister were there, too.

"Hello, my loves," he said as he kissed both Seraphina and Lara on the cheeks before making his way over to the other side of the booth.

"Glad you could join us," said Seraphina with a smile.

Lucius then kissed Lenore's cheek and bent down by Walden.

"First Narcissa and then Mother and Lara?" he whispered into Walden's ear. "What're you up to?"

Walden grinned.

Lucius slid into the booth, leaving room for only one other person to sit down beside him.

He looked to Lenore and to Walden, waiting for a response, but he was given none. However, he did notice that Lenore was looking out the window and fidgeting with her hands rather anxiously. He turned and looked out the window and sighed at the sight: Narcissa and Augustus were having a conversation with one another. Lucius shook his head, returning his focus to Lenore, who looked just as troubled as he felt.

He hated seeing her that way—especially when it seemed that her concern was for Narcissa; for the woman he loved.

"I believe they were saying their goodbyes," he said lowly, hoping that Lenore could at least be given some comfort. Lucius didn't know if he'd ever find true peace again—life was so different, and not in a good way, without Narcissa in it. "She'll be in in a moment."

Lenore nodded at Lucius's words. "Can't say goodbye quickly enough, if you ask me," she said with a sigh.

Lucius went to respond, but the chime on the door made a noise before he could say anything to her. When his eyes landed on Narcissa, he could read her distress all over her face. He could see how fake her smile was and immediately wanted to take away her pain. He knew it wasn't his place to do so, so instead, he decided to just be as kind and friendly to her as possible. He hated for her to think that she didn't have people who cared about her—even if it wasn't how they'd originally had planned it.

Narcissa sat down beside him. "My apologies for keeping you all waiting," she said, glancing down at the table. Lucius noticed that her cheeks were burning red.

He watched as her eyes moved upward toward his mother and sister, and he quickly realized that she must be embarrassed to be in front of them after breaking things off the way she had. Lucius didn't want her to think that his mother and sister hated her, because that was not the case—they loved her very much and hated that the two of them were no longer together.

"No need to apologize, my ro—Cissy. We didn't mind waiting."

Lucius kissed her cheek, just like he'd done all the other women at the table, and smiled.

"It's lovely to see you." _I've missed you so much_ , he added mentally.

Narcissa smiled. "Thank you. It's lovely to see you, too."

Walden smiled and leaned in and kissed Narcissa's cheek, as well. "Thank you for joining us, Cissy," he said to her.

Narcissa smiled at Walden. "Thank you for inviting me."

Lucius looked to his mother and sister, hoping to convey in his eyes that it would mean a lot to him if they would acknowledge her lovingly. He was relieved when Lara met his gaze and then reached out to grasp Narcissa's hand.

"How've you been?" she asked.

Narcissa shrugged. "Fair. And yourself?" She gave Lara's hand a squeeze.

"I've been well, considering," said Lara.

Seraphina smiled from Lucius to Narcissa. "I'm glad you could be here."

Walden cleared his throat and grabbed Lenore's hand, kissing it and showing off the ring that sat on her fourth finger.

Lucius smiled at the sight of the ring, squeezing Narcissa's leg out of habit when he did—that had been something he'd used to do with her when he was overly excited about something but didn't want to make too big of a commotion.

"You're engaged?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," replied Walden. "And we plan to marry by Christmas."

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Narcissa with enthusiasm, glancing toward Lucius.

Their eyes locked, and Lucius smiled, the expression widening into a grin when she smiled back at him.

"That soon? Isn't it better to wait a while?" asked Lucius.

Seraphina shrugged at Lucius's questions. "The way I see it, when two people are perfect for each other and are so in love, it doesn't matter how long they wait." She paused, keeping her eyes on Lucius for a moment and then glancing to Narcissa. "What matters is that they end up together."

Lucius gulped slightly when his mother spoke, knowing that her remark was directed toward him and Narcissa. He nodded toward her and then found himself sighing.

"But sometimes, even people who are meant to be together never find a way to make it work, in the end…" he replied, removing his hand from Narcissa's leg, reminding himself that they were no longer together and it was highly inappropriate to be touching her so intimately.

Lucius watched the uncomfortable glances that were shared between his mother and Lenore and eyed the way Narcissa looked down toward the table when he removed his hand. He sighed quietly and wished he could take back his remark and movement. He quickly cleared his throat, realizing how awkward he'd made things, and smiled toward Lenore and Walden, hoping no one would comment on his words.

"So, we're here to celebrate your engagement, then?" he asked.

"Yes and no, mate," replied Walden. "Lenny and I would like you and Narcissa to plan our wedding reception—we were hoping you wouldn't mind having it at Malfoy Manor."

Lucius's eyes widened.

"Why us?" he asked, puzzled, looking from Walden to Lenore.

"Because you're our closest friends," said Lenore, "and we want you to be the best man and maid of honor in our ceremony. Is it going to be a problem?" she challenged, raising a brow.

"Of course not," said Narcissa quickly. "Thank you for thinking of us."

Even though he was angry with himself for his comment, he found his heart skipping a beat when Narcissa referred to them as _us_. He felt his hope rising once more.

"Yes, we'd love to," he said, taking Narcissa's hand in his own and smiling at the lot of them. "We'll plan a wedding reception you won't forget," he said reassuringly.

"We certainly will," said Narcissa with a smile.

Lucius smiled toward Narcissa, squeezing her hand a little tighter when she spoke. He knew he shouldn't, but being this close to her, he was surprised that was all he was doing. He was happy that she wasn't trying to resist him; it had to be a good sign, right?

"Lara," said Walden, "I believe Lenore wanted to ask you something."

Lara glanced to Walden and then to Lenore, who nodded.

"Thanks to this lot," said Lenore, "I've come to think of you as a sister. I'd be honored if you'd be my bridesmaid."

Lara beamed at her. "I would absolutely love to. Thank you, Lenny."

Lenore smiled. "Of course."

* * *

The gathering turned into a celebration that lasted an hour or two longer, and then the group broke, each pair going their separate ways.

Narcissa walked out of the pub and down the street with Lucius. "So, Malfoy Manor tomorrow, then?" he asked her, stopping his steps and turning to face her.

Narcissa nodded. She certainly wasn't in a hurry to depart, though she knew she should be. If anyone saw her walking with Lucius, they would be sure to talk, and she could only imagine how poorly Augustus would react, not to mention her parents. At the moment, though, she told herself it was all right not to care what they thought.

"Yes. What time would you like me to be there?"

Lucius smiled. "Wonderful. How does eleven sound?" he asked. "I'll have Dobby whip us up some lunch for after. I wouldn't want you to return home to Augustus hungry. Unless the two of you have plans?"

Narcissa listened as he spoke, and her stomach twisted at the mention of Augustus and returning to him.

"Lunch would be lovely. No, I... I don't think we do." And if we did, it wouldn't matter, she thought. You've no idea how much I'd rather eat with you. "I'll be there at eleven, then," she said with a nod. "Hopefully we can get a fair bit of planning done."

Lucius smiled. "Yes, hopefully so. Though, we do have so much catching up to do. I hope it doesn't get in the way," he said playfully. "Well, I best be off," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug, holding her close to him.

Narcissa didn't resist, though her mind told her she shouldn't allow this. "We certainly do," she muttered.

When he pulled back, she suppressed the urge to sigh, watching as he turned and began to walk away. She admired him as he walked for a few moments before turning on her heels and departing down the street.

She'd been so lost in everything that happened that she hadn't heard the approaching footsteps from behind her, and when a hand grabbed her, she gasped, realizing it was too late to react. She turned to see that it was Lucius, and she followed him, her heart missing a beat as he guided her into the nearest alley. She opened her mouth to ask him why he'd brought her here, but he beat her to speaking, and she closed her mouth.

"I've been walking around for eleven months, three weeks and four days wondering to myself why it is that you left me. I've gone over and over and over in my head all the possibilities…" he began.

Narcissa listened to his every word, her stomach churning. How much could she tell him, really? Would he even believe the truth, at this point, after all she'd put him through?

"…but if you truly were the woman I'd always known you to be, then none of those scenarios would've been good enough reasons for you to leave me… Don't tell me you don't feel anything for me—"

Narcissa's mouth went dry, and she opened it to try to begin to explain but was caught completely off-guard when he quickly stepped forward, grabbed her face in his hands, and captured her lips with his own.

For a moment, she gave in—she returned his kiss and allowed herself to enjoy the touch of his lips, his taste, everything she'd been without for so long now.

Then she remembered that she couldn't be doing this. She pulled back and leaned against the wall of the alley for a moment, tears filling her eyes as she stared upward and tried to think of something to say.

She then turned on her heel and started back out of the alley.

"Narcissa, it's me," Lucius said firmly from behind her, causing her heart to break at how obvious his pain truly was. "Do you remember me, at all? When have you not been able to tell me everything? What did I do that was so awful that took all the trust you had in me away?"

Lucius stepped close to her and grabbed her hand. She froze when he grabbed her hand, tears sliding down her cheeks and shoulders trembling.

"Of course I remember you," she said under her breath. How could she forget? How could she not remember every moment they'd ever shared, every touch, every kiss?

"Just… give my hand a squeeze if you still love me. Give it a squeeze if there is a chance we could be together again. I'll fight for you."

What could she say?

 _I don't deserve to be fought for—I'm having his child?_

 _I never wanted any of this, but here we are?_

"You didn't do anything." She shook her head, wanting to tell him everything all at once and beg him for forgiveness. Instead, she gave his hand a very small squeeze and then pulled away, Disapparating before she could let him see her start to sob.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I really appreciate it. (: Here's the next installment. Co-writing with theslytherinrose! Check out her stuff. :D  
**

* * *

Chapter 2:

When she arrived at home, Narcissa hurried to her room, not bothering to look for her parents. She didn't want to face their questions and judgments. She entered her room and shut the door before flinging herself down onto her bed and sobbing into her pillow.

 _What have I done?_ she thought. _I should've told him. All of it, right then. He said he'd fight for me—why didn't I tell him?_

She shook her head against the pillow. Narcissa couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that Lucius could still want her, still love her after the pain she'd caused him.

For Merlin's sake, he'd counted the days since she'd left!

She closed her eyes, her fingers reaching unconsciously for the ribbon on her wrist that Lucius had given her after the first time they'd made love all those years ago and tracing it as she cried.

* * *

Augustus had counted down the minutes of Narcissa's get together with his former friends. He knew leaving her with Lucius couldn't be good, because he knew that she was still madly in love with him.

He arrived to her parents' home at the exact time she'd said she was supposed to return, and he was rather surprised when the Blacks' elf, Poppy, began leading him to Narcissa's room.

He kicked the elf aside when they reached her door. "Shoo!" he said to the nasty little creature as he made his way inside.

* * *

"He's never going to love you. Not after what you did. So why don't you let him go and allow me be your knight in shining armor for once?"

Narcissa tensed as sharply as though she'd been stricken by lightning at the sound of Augustus's voice. She'd been too absorbed in her thoughts and her sobs to notice him until he was lying beside her on the mattress, and she turned to face in the other direction, shaking her head.

So he knew, then. He knew how she really felt and that he still didn't have her heart.

"You're not a knight," she said. "You could've been, perhaps, but you wasted that chance. You can't be a knight if I can't trust you, and I'd be mad to do that, now."

Augustus slid his arm around her and pulled her close. When his hand touched her stomach, her heart sank. Narcissa knew in theory that she wasn't far enough along for him to feel anything abnormal beneath his hand, but still, she prayed he wouldn't notice or suspect anything.

"You will be my wife, Narcissa," he began in a low, dark voice, "whether you want to be or not."

Augustus stood from the mattress and made his way out of the room.

She closed her eyes until his footsteps were gone. "I will not," she muttered.

* * *

Lucius had returned home after leaving Hogsmeade, and he'd gone straight to bed, thinking about her.

When he awoke the next morning, he felt a sense of hope and determination as he recalled the previous day. She'd grabbed his hand—she still loved him, and he had a shot.

He cleaned up quite nicely, wearing his nicest navy robes, and put his hair in a braid and tied it at the end with the matching ribbon she'd given him all those years ago—they'd exchanged ribbons the first time they'd made love to each other.

He wore her engagement ring on the chain around his neck, like he'd done since she'd left.

He was determined to get her back.

He made his way down to inform Dobby that she was likely on her way, and then he moved onward to the ballroom and out onto the balcony, waiting for her to arrive.

* * *

Narcissa had eventually fallen into a fitful sleep plagued by dreams of everyone she'd seen that day. She couldn't escape Augustus even in her nightmares, and each time she tried to approach the dream version of Lucius, she found herself unable to reach him.

When she woke, she did her best to be calm, though she knew that wasn't entirely possible. She glanced down at the ribbon on her wrist and sighed, wondering whether leaving it on was a good idea. She decided, though, that she couldn't bring herself to remove it. Instead, she matched her clothing with it, slipping on a floor-length grey dress and allowing her hair to hang loosely down her back.

She wasn't prepared for this trip, she knew, but it was inevitable, and she couldn't deny the butterflies filling her stomach at the thought of spending time alone with him.

After quickly explaining the situation to her mother—leaving out, of course, that she and Lucius would likely be unsupervised—Narcissa departed for Malfoy Manor and tried hard not to think about Druella's words of warning regarding her behavior.

She elected to Apparate as close as she could and walk to the front doors. When she reached the doors, she knocked and rolled her shoulders back, waiting.

Dobby answered the door, staring up at her for a moment before smiling. "Welcome home, Mistress," said the elf.

Narcissa returned Dobby's smile, wondering how badly he must think of her after everything that had taken place. "Thank you," she said. She couldn't get over the idea that he still referred to her as _Mistress_ and how undeserving she felt of that title. Lucius had been the one that instructed Dobby to call her by that title when they'd been engaged before.

 _He must've never told him to refer to me any differently_ , she thought to herself.

"Master is expecting you. Mistress can follow Dobby right this way."

Narcissa nodded, stepping over the threshold and following Dobby into the hallway. The elf snapped his fingers, causing the front door behind her to close.

As she followed him down the corridor, she took in the family portraits and extravagant paintings, the tables along the walls adorned with objects selected by Lucius's mother, and each room, all of them bringing back memories she wasn't prepared to face. Dinners and dances and tearful embraces and lovemaking and quiet afternoons reading by the fire...

She bit the inside of her cheek hard and ordered herself not to react. "Dobby... how is he?"

Dobby looked toward Narcissa several times as he guided her down the corridor. The elf seemed hesitant. Finally, he answered.

"Master is not doing so well. Dobby knows that Master stays awake and sobs in the night for his Mistress. Dobby knows that Master has dived more into the Dark Arts and his position with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named now that he no longer has his Mistress… Master doesn't value his life as much without his—"

Narcissa blanched as she listened to Dobby's words, and the urge to be ill rose rapidly within her, as did the urge to turn on her heel and run. How could she face Lucius, knowing how deeply she'd hurt him? If he sobbed for her at night and had lost the value of his life all because of her, how could she live with herself? She reached up to wipe away a few tears that had managed to slip from her eyes.

Dobby halted with a squeak, alarm spread over his features. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Dobby has said too much. Dobby has disgraced his Master. Dobby must be punished!"

Dobby looked around the room and began charging toward one of the statues that sat against the wall.

Narcissa gasped. "No! Dobby, stop! Do not harm yourself!"

Dobby immediately stopped in his tracks. He turned toward Narcissa with wide eyes. "Dobby thanks his Mistress for saving him from pain—even if Dobby does deserve it for speaking ill of his Master," said the elf through several pants.

Narcissa watched Dobby with wide eyes, cursing the customs that led the elf to behave in such a way. She nodded slowly and watched him, wanting to make sure he didn't have the urge to harm himself again.

After he brought his breathing back to normal, Dobby guided her to the ballroom. "Master is in there," he said.

Narcissa drew in a long breath and attempted to keep herself calm.

"Is there anything else Mistress needs? May Dobby take Mistress's cloak for her?" asked the elf.

"Yes, thank you." She removed her cloak and passed it to Dobby. "That... should be all for right now. Thank you."

Narcissa took a step into the ballroom and paused, taking in the sight of the room she hadn't visited in so long, now. She remembered every one of the parties she'd attended here and every private dance, and she fought hard to push them from her mind, though the images struggled for her attention.

After several moments, she managed to start forward.

She saw Lucius standing on the balcony and worked to steady her trembling hands as she moved toward him.

Lucius turned around—Narcissa supposed he must've heard her footsteps—and a bright smile spread across his face as he approached her.

"I'm glad you could make it," he said.

Narcissa watched him as he moved closer. She knew that it was too late to turn around, now, and she had to bear whatever happened with as much composure as she could. She knew in theory that she had nothing to fear—as much as she deserved his hatred, he didn't seem to hate her. On the contrary, he'd said he'd fight for her, and she didn't know how to let him.

"Thank you." She smiled. "I'm glad you're willing to work with me."

Lucius kept his smile spread across his lips, and nodded. "Always," he answered.

He stepped past her, and she turned her head to watch him as he looked around the large ballroom. "A wedding reception at Christmas will be spectacular," he began. "What shall we do for themes? Silver and gold? Red and green? Red and gold or red and silver? Or green and gold or green and silver? Or maybe blue with some silver and gold? What do you think?" he asked as he turned toward her.

Narcissa glanced around the room, but she couldn't keep her attention from his face for long, and when he met her eyes, her heart missed a beat. She hoped he hadn't caught her staring.

"Blue with silver and gold would be lovely." She tried not to think about the navy of his robes of the grey of the ribbon on her wrist that she'd begun to fiddle with unconsciously.

Lucius nodded; his smile was still on his lips. "Blue, silver, and gold it is then."

He walked over to stand by her side, and then he linked arms with her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she told herself to remain calm as he began walking. "What about a tree? Should we have one large one and several smaller ones or just use the large?" he asked, looking around the ballroom.

 _Everything is going to be fine_ , she thought.

"I think if we spread out the smaller ones along the walls, we could put the large one in that corner—" She pointed with her free hand to the back right corner of the room. "—and have the band sit in the other with the tables toward the front. I've always thought that if I married at Christmas, I'd want muted colors and enchanted snow everywhere that wouldn't melt. The lights from the chandeliers would make the snow glisten, and instead of tinsel, there would be—" She broke off, her cheeks reddening as she realized she should've stopped talking a long time ago. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get carried away."

Lucius shook his head, his face falling slightly.

"No, no, Cissy..." he said, turning toward her fully, stepping close to her, and placing his hands on her cheeks. Narcissa's heart fluttered at the contact. "I hope you get everything you ever dreamed of, whether it's with Augustus or me or someone else entirely. You deserve everything."

Narcissa felt the sting of tears in her eyes as he spoke.

She couldn't understand—why?

Why was he so good to her?

How could he say such sweet things?

"Thank you," she said softly as she returned her focus to his face. "I'm not sure I do, but I appreciate that."

Lucius shook his head and smiled. "You don't have to be modest, Cissy—it's me. You're wonderful and therefore deserve wonderful things."

Narcissa sighed. "Thank you, I really do appreciate that." _But I'm not being modest, this time_ , she thought. _I hate myself for hurting you._

She glanced downward when the light caught the chain hanging around his neck and the ring attached to it, and she felt suddenly lightheaded.

How could she deserve everything when she'd hurt him so badly, and how could he stand wearing the ring and being reminded of it?

She felt she should pull back, but she couldn't bring herself to move away from his touch.

She bit the inside of her cheek as he blushed, and she wondered whether she should've concealed better that she'd seen the necklace. He closed his eyes, only for a moment, before looking back up and meeting her gaze.

Smiling, he held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance, Miss Black?" he asked.

Narcissa blinked, thinking he couldn't be serious. But he was smiling, and she couldn't deny that a dance sounded more wonderful than she could describe. She smiled and took his hand, moving closer to him. "I would be honored, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius's smile shifted into a grin. He produced his wand and waved it toward the string instruments that were lying on the small stage in the corner. They levitated a few feet above the stage and began to produce a slow and romantic melody, the violins soaring while the lower instruments played a low, steady accompaniment.

Narcissa glanced toward the sound with wide eyes and then back to Lucius.

 _Calm down_ , she ordered herself. _There's technically nothing wrong with a dance._

He replaced his wand in his pocket wrapped his free arm around her, holding out their joined hands just slightly as he began to move slowly.

She lifted one hand to rest on his shoulder and tightened her grip on his hand with the other. As he led, she followed, working to relax and allow herself to enjoy the music and the motion and the proximity to him.

Narcissa forced herself to lower her mental walls and allow her tension to fade, and she soon became lost in the music and how wonderful it felt to be in Lucius's arms once again. Lucius twirled her a few times, and as the music began to slow down and fade, he when he pulled her against his chest, she didn't resist.

His lips grazed her hair just barely, and her heart fluttered at the feeling. She closed her eyes as the music stopped, and neither of them pulled back.

"Don't hold it against me when I say this: gods, I'm still in love with you. And I miss you, so much."

At Lucius's words, Narcissa's eyes filled with tears. She wanted to tell him everything all at once, explain every thought and fear and rationalization and pressure she'd faced in the months since they'd been apart.

She knew, though, that she shouldn't admit any of it—not now, not when she was trapped—but she couldn't stop the beginning of her explanation from leaving her mouth.

"I still love you, too."

Her eyes snapped open as she realized she shouldn't have let the words out at all. An instant passed in which she fought to memorize how it felt to stand here in his embrace before she forced herself to pull back.

"I—I'm sorry. I remembered I promised Bella I'd—I have to—I'll come back tomorrow and we can plan this wedding." As agonizing as the movement was, she forced herself to turn away and move quickly for the door.

She heard Lucius's gasp from behind her. "Narcissa, I'm sorry. No—Cissy, please! I didn't—"

Narcissa focused all her willpower on moving forward, though she wanted nothing more than to turn around and run back to him.

 _Don't apologize_ , she begged him in her mind. _This is not your fault. I'm so sorry._

She made her way around the corner and leaned against the wall, unable to stop her tears from falling. What was she supposed to do?

She was terrified of what would happen if she disobeyed her parents and left Augustus, but what could the consequences really be?

What could they do to her, now?

Yes, they could smear her reputation, but wouldn't it fall back on them?

But what about the baby?

Narcissa let out a heavy sigh. She had no idea what to do or how to handle the feeling she could no longer deny for Lucius, which were as strong now as they'd always been.

Without retrieving her cloak from Dobby, she Disapparated for home.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your reviews and follows and favs! It means a lot. Thanks to theslytherinrose for co-writing this with me! Here's the next chapter. :D

* * *

Chapter 3:

Lucius didn't even bother owling his mother to inform her that he was on his way over. He simply retrieved his traveling cloak and made his way to the fireplace in his study. He threw the powder in and was swept up in the green flames and taken to his mother's manor in the country. When he arrived, he stepped out of the pit and made his way to the couch, sitting down and burying his face in his hands. He knew she would eventually make her way to him.

* * *

Seraphina was on her way to the library when she caught a glimpse of something out of place—a figure sitting on the couch as she passed the doorway of the sitting room. A second glance told her that the figure was her son, and she frowned at the state of his posture. Something had clearly upset him.

Seraphina strode briskly into the room and sat down beside Lucius, resting her hand on his back as she leaned down, trying to get a better look at his face.

"What's happened, my love? Talk to me."

Lucius turned toward his mother, revealing his red, tearstained face—Seraphina caught her breath at the sight of it—and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Seraphina couldn't stand seeing her son in so much pain, and she was ready to do whatever it took to ensure that justice was served to whoever had done this to him.

He let out a sigh. "I asked if there was a chance to fight for her and she said yes, and then later I told her that I still loved her and she… she said she still loved me, but she still left. What do you do when your heart beats for someone, and they tell you everything you want to hear, but they don't seem to know how to show it in their actions? I can't give up on her, Mother. I just can't. She's my everything—we had everything planned. And when she told me I had a shot… I—I felt alive, again…"

Seraphina held him close, her heart sinking at his explanation.

She couldn't deny that she still cared for Narcissa—the girl had become like a daughter to her—but Seraphina couldn't stand the thought of anyone causing Lucius so much emotional distress, and if he'd been given false hope...

She kissed his cheek. "I understand that you don't want to give up on her. I know how much she means to you. I just can't bear watching you get hurt again." Seraphina paused. "What are you planning to do?"

Lucius remained silent for several minutes, contemplating on what he planned to do. Finally, he pulled out of her embrace and looked her in the eyes. "Mother, I—I don't know what I'm going to do... I just know that I'm hurting and..." Lucius sighed, leaned back against the cushions, and closed his eyes.

Seraphina watched him solemnly and closed her eyes, as well. She needed to get to the bottom of what was happening. She would visit the Blacks' home and speak to Narcissa herself, but she didn't plan to tell Lucius she was going to do so—she knew he would try to stop her or want to know what was said, and she couldn't hurt him further. She opened her eyes and reached out to rest her hand on his shoulder. "Lucius, it's going to be all right. Everything will work out how it's supposed to. I promise."

Lucius shrugged his shoulders and crossed one arm over the other. "I'm glad you have hope, Mother, because mine is dwindling with each minute that passes me by… I love her. So much. But what if she never comes home? What if I wait and wait and… she marries Augustus?"

"She won't, my love. It's going to be fine." Seraphina truly hoped that was the case. She couldn't stand seeing her son suffer.

Lucius shook his head and wiped his eyes, standing and turning toward her. "Is Lara here?" he asked, his tone filled with determination. Seraphina knew he was trying hard to remain strong.

She sighed under her breath and nodded. "Yes, she's in the library."

Seraphina waited until after her son had gone to depart for the Blacks', hoping he didn't question her when she returned and that Lara had more luck reassuring him than she herself had.

* * *

When Seraphina reached her destination, she put aside her hatred of Druella and asked for an audience with Narcissa in private. Druella's narrowed eyes and clipped responses told Seraphina everything she needed to know about how welcome she was, but Druella did not refuse. Seraphina waited in the drawing room, and eventually, Narcissa entered.

"Lady Malfoy. This is certainly a surprise," said Narcissa.

Seraphina smiled slightly at the girl that she'd come to know as a daughter, despite the disappointment she felt with her at that moment.

"Do come in, love," she said. "Take a seat."

Seraphina closed the door behind Narcissa and produced her wand, and she chanted a nonverbal 'Muffliato' to ensure that anyone unwanted who might be listening couldn't hear their conversation. Narcissa made her way over to the chaise, and Seraphina sat beside her. She took the girl's hands in her own and looked her in the eyes.

"My son—my sweet, sweet boy—is in excruciating pain. He has been ever since you left." Seraphina paused with a sigh. This was a lot harder than she'd anticipated, as Narcissa was someone she truly loved and cared for. "Help me understand, dear, why it is that you left him. We've all been left in the dark, and maybe if I understood, I'd be able to help him move on. He informed me that you said you still love him as well, so I'm having a hard time understanding what is keeping you from him. I don't want his feelings toyed with any longer—he deserves better than that."

Narcissa closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "I didn't leave because of anything he did or didn't do, and it certainly wasn't because I didn't love him, because I... I still do," she began, "I left because I'd lost our baby." She kept her eyes closed as she spoke. "We hadn't planned on having one, and I was too scared to tell anyone I was with child. And so I kept it to myself until it was too late and I'd miscarried, and then I couldn't tell Lucius—I couldn't ask him to bear that when I'd been too weak to tell him about the baby in the first place. It wouldn't have been fair. He deserves someone who isn't broken, someone who can give him a family."

Seraphina choked back several tears that wanted to fall at Narcissa's explanation as to why she'd left. It was all starting to make sense, now. No, it couldn't take away her son's pain, but it made understanding the situation much easier. She watched Narcissa, feeling her heart crack as she watched the girl keep her eyes shut. Seraphina could see the hurt and shame Narcissa carried, and she wanted her to know that she didn't blame her. And knowing Druella and her cold nature, Seraphina was the first person Narcissa had probably spoken to about what had truly happened. She needed a mother's love, not a mother's scolding.

Seraphina wiped a few tears away from the corners of her eyes and then wrapped her arms around Narcissa, pulling the girl as close to her as possible. Seraphina had a lot more unanswered questions, but in that very moment, she wanted to let Narcissa grieve. "I've silenced the room; your mother can't hear anything we're saying. If you need to let out your feelings, I'm here, my love."

Narcissa leaned against Seraphina heavily and began to weep. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him."

Seraphina's heart broke—she hated that someone she and her son cared about very much was hurting so badly. And due to Narcissa pain and silence, her son was hurting as well. "I know, darling," said Seraphina as she rubbed Narcissa's back. "I know you didn't. I'm so sorry you went through something so tragic and were on your own."

Seraphina kissed Narcissa's cheek and hair and remained silent for a long while so that the girl could grieve—also taking the time to feel the hurt of the loss of her grandchild. Finally, when a substantial amount of time had passed, Seraphina pulled back. She placed her hands on Narcissa's cheeks and locked her light-grey eyes with the girl's bright-blue ones. "Lucius wouldn't blame you for what happened, love," she said sincerely. "He would've wanted to be there for you, then and now. He will take you back—he's at my home, right now, in an absolute mess over not knowing why you left and why it is you say that you love him, but won't let him love you back. Come home with me, Narcissa. Tell him. Let yourself be happy."

Narcissa's sighed. "I wish I could tell you how much I want that. But I... I can't. Sera, I'm..." She sighed heavily. "I want you to know that I didn't want this. If I'd been in my right mind, it never would've happened. Augustus got me drunk, and..." The twist of her lips suggested that the words tasted vile on her tongue. "Sera, I'm pregnant. And I don't know what to do."

Seraphina worked hard to keep her eyes their normal size. She felt herself suddenly filled with rage—not toward Narcissa, but toward Augustus.

The Rookwood boy had been causing her children and those they cared about trouble since school, and she was tired of it. The next time she saw Augustus Rookwood, she was definitely going to give him a piece of her mind—there was a very real possibility that a hex or two would be sent his way. Finally, she brought her mind to a calm state and thought about what to say to Narcissa. She knew her son, and knew how much he loved the girl that sat inches away from her—he wouldn't allow another man's child to stop him from bringing the love of his life home.

Seraphina sighed and kept her eyes on Narcissa. "I won't tell Lucius, but I hope you will—even if you choose to be with Augustus in the end. I want you to know that Lucius loves you—with more love than he knows what to do with. He's like his parents in that way. So, please, don't fault him for it. In the end, you will either be his entire world or the one that got away—he's never going to move on from you. He loves you too much to do that. He won't fault you for what happened while the two of you weren't together. And knowing my son, he'd probably take your child on as his own, and never look at him or her any differently. Neither will I, if that is what you choose to do." Seraphina placed her hand on Narcissa's stomach and smiled. "This child deserves to be celebrated and loved, not hidden away like something to be ashamed of. No matter how she came to be, she's apart of you, Narcissa. And you, my sweet girl, are someone very special—even if you don't see that. My son knows that, and because he does, he will love you and your child for that very reason—he won't even allow it to consume his thoughts. I know that may seem selfish of me to say, but he is my son, and I've earned the right as his mother to stand up for him."

Narcissa nodded. "I suppose you're right," she said. "He's too good to let himself be bothered by it." She closed her eyes and paused, her shoulders rising and falling with a series of deep breaths before she returned her focus to Seraphina. "I need to think about all of this. Please know that I understand everything you've said, and I appreciate your willingness to try to fix all of this. I just need a little time to sort things out."

Seraphina nodded, understanding completely why Narcissa needed some time—she's never been allowed to make her own decisions before, and this was a decision she had to be at peace with.

Seraphina stood from the chaise. "Of course, dear," she said lovingly to Narcissa, making her way to the door. "May I get a hug from you before I go?"

Narcissa stood and hurried over to Seraphina's side and embraced her tightly. Seraphina wrapped the girl up in her embrace.

"Thank you for being so understanding," said Narcissa. "I know I don't deserve that. Thank you, and I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."

Seraphina kissed Narcissa's golden hair, rubbed her back, and kept her close in her arms. "My dear, we all do mad things when we're in love. Remind me one day to tell you all the things I did when Abraxas and I were younger." Seraphina pulled back and moved a stray strand of hair from Narcissa's face. "It's hard having parents that don't understand anything more than the Pureblood way—believe me, I know. I promised myself that I would be different with my children because I hated never having a say or feeling loved. It was the constant struggle of trying to figure out whether I was going to let them control me my entire life or make a decision on my own. I chose the latter, and because of it I married the man of my dreams and had two beautiful children—and through those children, I received two bonus children: Walden and you. My life has been more than I could've ever asked for. I'll always be here for you, even if you don't choose Lucius. But promise me you'll tell him the truth."

Narcissa smiled softly. "Thank you, Sera. I'm very glad to have you in my life, and you're a wonderful mother." She pulled in a long breath. "I promise I'll tell him. He deserves to know."

Seraphina smiled and nodded, kissing Narcissa's hair. "That's all I ask. And thank you for telling me. Please know that I'm very sorry for what you're going through, right now. I sincerely hope that you're able to make the right decision for you and your child. Remember that you're of age, Narcissa, and you can now make the hard decisions on your own. No matter what your mother may say to you." She stepped out of Narcissa's embrace.

"I appreciate that greatly," said Narcissa, reaching out to squeeze Seraphina's hands. "I'll remember that."

"I love you," said Seraphina as she released Narcissa's hands.

"I love you, too."


End file.
